omp._ Pardon thee; why I hope thou hast not made away with my Boy,
hast thou? Od's death I'll hang thee, if there were never a Whore more
in _London_, if thou hast.

_Peg._ O no; but your long Absence, and the Rumour of your Death,
[_Cries._] made me think I might venture.

_Comp._ Venture, quoth a, I can't blame thee, _Peg_; for _Wapping_, if
it were twice _Wapping_, can't hold out always, no more than _Redriff_,
_Limehouse_ or _Shadwel_, nay or the strongest Suburbs about _London_;
and when it comes to that, wo be to the City too, Girl.

_Peg._ Consider, Husband, I'm but a Woman, neither the first or last
that have done the same, and truly I won't deny but I have a Child.

_Comp._ Have you so? And what by Consequence must I have then, I pray?

_Peg._ If you'l forgive me this Time, it shall be so no more, indeed and
indeed, now.

_Comp._ Well, well. I will forgive thee, _Peg_, upon this Condition,
that you tell me who it was that fell foul aboard thee, and sprung this
Leak in thee.

_Peg._ O dear Husband!

_Comp._ Nay, no Excuses, for I must know.

_Peg._ Why then truly it was Mr. _Venter_ the Merchant.

_Comp._ I am beholding to him, and wou'd requite his Civility, if his
Wife were but as willing, tho he be one of our Merchants at Sea, he
shall give me leave to be Owner at home; and where is my Boy? what,
shan't I see him?

_Peg._ Yes if you please, good Husband: He's nurs'd at _Bednal green_;
'tis now too late, to Morrow will be better.

_Comp._ Come then we'l home and to bed.

_Let other Fools repine at Scoffs and Scorns,
I'll teach the Cuckold how to hide his Horns._

[Exeunt.

_Enter Justice_ Merryman, _Mr._ Venter, Spruce, _Mrs._ Venter _and_
Clara.

_Mer._ Was the like ever known, that a Bridegroom shou'd absent himself
on his Wedding-Day?

Mr. _Ven._ 'Tis somewhat strange indeed.

_Mer._ And the Bride too my Daughter, she's out of the way: Why what
shou'd be the meaning of all this, Od's bobs I can't tell?

Mrs. _Ven._ Perhaps they'r busy Brother, privately conferring Notes
together: You can't tell but that the young Man may have a stomach to
his Supper, and fall too unawares, and we ne're the wiser.

_Spr._ Od's nigs, very true; what wou'd you say then Sir, if they shou'd
be stol'n away, and a-bed together seriously?

_Mer._ What wou'd I say? marry I wou'd say, Speed 'em well: And if no
worse News ever comes to me, I'll be hang'd if e're I cry'd for't.

_Enter Nurse._

Ho